Braida recalls why Milan adventure with Berlusconi was so special: “I was struck by his vision”

Ariedo Braida has praised the pioneering vision that Silvio Berlusconi possessed, claiming that he felt AC Milan was his ‘destiny’.

It is exactly 40 years to the day that Berlusconi officially completed the acquisition of Milan, a team riddled with debt that had tasted Serie B. He took them to the top of the world, with 29 trophies in his 31-year tenure, including five European Cups/Champions Leagues.

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To mark four decades since the era began, his former right-hand man Adriano Galliani gave an interview to Corriere della Sera, while the iconic captain Franco Baresi shed some light on Berlusconi as well in a discussion with Il Giornale.

Braida served as a director at Milan for 28 of the 31 years, and alongside Galliani he is credited with helping to build the ‘Grande Milan’ of the 1990s and 2000s. He gave an interview to Corriere della Sera in which he shared his memories, with MilanPress relaying his words.

What do you remember about February 20, 1986?

“It’s the watershed day of my life, a moment in my existence that can’t be erased. I remember the snow that day, and I drove from Udine to Milan to sign the contract.”

How did your adventure at Milan begin?

“At the time, I was working at Udinese, Zico had just left. I’d been contacted by President Viola, who had offered me a managerial role at Roma. But when Adriano Galliani called and offered me a position at Milan, I didn’t hesitate.”

How was it meeting the president?

“The day I consider magical was the convention at Pomerio Castle, when Berlusconi called together all the employees that summer and gave us the mission: ‘We must become the strongest team in the world’.

“I was struck by his vision. It was fantastic, an honour to make history. Look, I just left a bar where I met a gentleman who wanted to take a photo with me. I haven’t worked at Milan since 2013, but the sense of accomplishment remains.”

Did he ever give you advice on who to sign?

“Well, when he told me to take Claudio Borghi, I went to buy him… Then you all know how it ended.”

What were your first negotiations?

“The contracts I did with Daniele Massaro and Giovanni Galli.”

An unforgettable moment?

“The bus to Barcelona after winning the first Champions Cup against Steaua. That was a point of arrival, for having won such a prestigious trophy, but also a starting point for how we subsequently developed the project.”

Who is the best player you ever bought?

“In those years, when we started, Maradona dominated the scene. But we were able to showcase champions who made history. How can you choose between Baresi, Maldini, Gullit, Kakà, Shevchenko? I’d be doing someone a disservice.

“Perhaps because of the premature end to his career, I’d say Marco Van Basten, the epitome of aesthetics, of elegance.”

What would your life have been like without Milan?

“It was destiny. Not everyone knows that I tried out for the club in 1962 in Sesto San Giovanni, but for a series of reasons, including logistical ones, I signed for Udinese. And then Nereo Rocco took me on a tour of the United States with AC Milan. I’m proud to be a AC Milan fan.”